We're All Broken
by AlwaysextraordinaryMuse
Summary: Skye is a seven year-old and in a foster home when a 14 year old boy is sent to them for a few days after being removed from his home.
1. We're All Broken

Skye had overheard that a new boy would be coming to the foster home for a few nights. She didn't quite catch his name but he was 14 and had just been removed from his home. He was going to be picked up by his uncle in a few days or so.

She eagerly awaited his arrival. The days had gotten long and Skye desperately needed a new friend around there.

The night he arrived, Skye hadn't got to meet him. It was 9:55pm when child services brought him by and way past her bed time. The locks were set and all children were to be in bed by 9pm.

*  
The next morning she awoke before everyone, as usual. Slipping on her slippers, Skye walked down to the kitchen only to see him siting at the table looking at his hands; which she could see were covered in cuts.

"Hi," she greeted.

The boy was caught off guard. "Hey," he replied, turning to face the young girl with long, dark hair.

She walked to the counter and pulled the cupboard open. Her small hand reached in for the box of cereals and she placed it on the counter.

He watched as she took precaution to step perfectly in the free spaces on the shelves until she reached the ceramic bowls on the top shelf.

Skye pulled the drawer open and reached for a couple of spoons. Retrieving all the items, Skye placed them on the table, grabbed the milk from the fridge, and sat across from him.

She slid a bowl to him and he caught it with a smile. Skye sat on her knees and leaned across the table to hand him a spoon.

"You're up early," he said. His dark hair ruffled from his pillow.

"So are you," she answered, pouring the captain crunch in her bowl. She slid the box to him and filled her bowl with milked.

"Good point," he admitted.

Grabbing her spoon like a shovel, she asked, "So what's your name?" Skye scooped the spoonful of cereal in her mouth.

"Why isn't the table set?!" The man walking by the lazy-boy stopped in his tracks as he entered the kitchen.

Skye hopped off the chair and began pulling four bowls out of the cupboard.

"And where are my eggs? What, are you slacking off this morning?" He yelled from behind her.

The man walked over to the fridge and pulled out a six-pack. Walking back out to the living room, he plotted himself in the single-seated couch and opened his first can of the day.

The boy watched the man's every move and then rose to his feet. He grabbed the pan from the dish rack and put it on the stove. He walked to the fridge and pulled out the carton of eggs, bringing it to the countertop.

Skye turned to look at him as he opened the carton and picked up a couple of eggs.

"Two?" He mouthed to her.

She lifted three fingers and showed them to him as a smile of gratitude crossed her face.

*  
It was 7am. Frank had been feed and the others were awake and getting ready for school.

One by one, they came down to grab their breakfast before heading out to catch the public bus to school.

"Don't eat too much or you'll have to go and buy more with your own money." Frank called from the living room.

Skye waited for each of them to finish their bowls and leave for the bus stop before cleaning up after them.

Danny had been the first to leave.

Being the oldest, he begun leaving before the other to meet with a few friends before heading to school.

Once he was out of the washroom, David took his turning using up all the hot water and stomped his way downstairs for breakfast.

Lizzie and Matt had seated themselves at the table and began pouring their bowls as the teenager of the group made his racket of the morning, stomping his feet, tossing his hackie sack in the air and catching it just before it knocked something down.

He dropped his ball to the ground and kicked it at Skye. The ball hit her square in the back, leaving a stinging feeling in her skin.

The seven year-old took the hit as David laughed and sat down beside Lizzie. Skye turned and gently tapped the ball out from in front of her feet.

The boy stared him down as David ate his cereal and elbowed Lizzie in the shoulder. He tightened his fingers into a first and winced at the pain of his cuts.

In moments, David was finished and out the door.

Taking her last bite, Lizzie grabbed his bowl and glass of milk to the sink.

Taking the dishes from the little girl, Skye thanked her and put them in the sink.

She took the little girl's hand and walked her to the door. The seven year-old bent on one knee, tying the girl's shoe. Pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear, Skye tapped her foot and rose to her feet, "all set," she said, "Matt, she's ready."

Matt took his bowl to the counter and slipped on his shoes. Taking Lizzie's hand, the twelve year-old boy led them out the door.

Skye finished off the last of the dishes and pulled her backpack to her shoulder, "see you after school," she said to him as she tossed the empty beer can in the recycling and pulled the door closed behind her.

The boy smiled at her as he stood alone at the counter.

"What are you standing around for? Go get your crap ready. Your uncle's coming to get you in an hour," Frank said in a fit of coughs as he changed the channel.

"Today?" The boy asked in confusion, "I thought the lawyer said he was coming to see me first."

"Well, he's not. Get your crap."

"I have to see the lawyer first, the judge said so."

"'The judge said so,'" he mimicked, " what do you know, you're 14 years old."

*  
Frank picked the phone up just before its final ring, "what?" He answered. Looking toward the young boy siting at the table with his bag at his side.

"What do you mean?" He asked loudly, "he was supposed to be here at 10! I better be getting paid for this extra time!" Frank shouted as he slammed the phone down.

Picking at a cut on his pinky, the boy looked up at Frank.

"Go put your shit away, he's not coming today." The man shut the tv and pulled two more beers from the fridge. He opened the front door and closed it behind him.

Grant picked up his bag and walked up the stairs. Setting his bag down beside the empty bed, he picked up a journal from the floor.

An elbow collided with his rib cage and Grant fell forward holding his side. Picking up the journal, which had fallen as the boy did, David stepped over him, "what do you think you're doing in my room?"

"Frank told me we're sharing until my uncle comes to get me," Grant answered in defence as he rose to his feet. "That doesn't exactly look like it belongs to you." He said, pointing at the light purple journal in the seventeen year-olds hand.

"It's none of your business." He warned.

Grant left the room. He walked down the stairs as Lizzie and Matt walked in the front door, Skye following shortly behind.

Lizzie rushed over to Grant and hugged him, "you're still here!" The four year-old exclaimed as she pressed her check to his stomach and went up to her room.

Skye stepped in, looking him in the eye and smiling.

The two of them spent the rest of the day in her room. She pulled out a pack of cards and he showed her a few magic tricks.

Baffled by his tricks, Skye watched him in amazement. The boy who had come to stay with them for only a day had already occupied a big part of her heart.

Skye walked into the living room and picked up an empty bag of chips off the floor. Carrying it to the garbage, she turned the tv on and put on a channel for Lizzie.

Lizzie cuddled up under a blanket and pulled a pillow beneath her head as Grant walked in the room.

"Is he always like that?" He asked, following her into the kitchen.

"Is who always like what?" She replied, opening the garbage and dropping the bag in.

"Frank," he said, "is he always so… Useless and cold?"

"Yes." She replied, climbing the chair to stand on the countertop.

"Here, let me." He said as he walked over to her. Grant placed his hand on her back as she climbed back down and pulled the chair out of his way. He opened the cupboard and pulled out the peanut butter. Grant handed it to her and watched as she smeared it on a slice of toast.

Skye put the toast on a napkin and brought it to Lizzie on the couch. Returning to the kitchen, she began smearing another slice, "do you want one?"

"No thanks," he smiled to her as the front door swung open and slammed into the wall behind it.

Grant jumped and turned toward the front door.

"You!" Frank yelled, pointing a finger at Skye as he entered the house.

Lizzie hopped off the couch and shut the tv before running to her 'big sister'.

Frank stomped his way into the kitchen and ordered the other to their rooms.

With a moments hesitation, Lizzie walked to the stairs and stood at the bottom.

Grant looked from Frank to Skye and made his way to Lizzie at the stairs. The two of them walked up the stairs and Grant looked back at her with a worried look.

*  
Grant didn't see her at all the rest of the night. He knocked on her door after she missed supper but she hadn't answered.

"She won't come out tonight," said the little girl to his left.

Grant looked at her, "why not?"

"Because Frank yelled at her."

"And when Frank yells at her she stays in her room?" He asked the four year-old, prying for answers.

"Only when he tells the rest of us to go to our rooms."

Grant looked back at the white door in front of him. The outside lock, unhinged.

Lizzie walked to her room, leaving him at Skye's bedroom door.

The next morning, Grant sat waiting in front of her door.

At 5:30am, her door opened and Grant looked up at her. His face, washed over by rage, staring squarely at hers. He slowly rose to his feet before her.

Staring back at him, ashamed, Skye stepped aside and opened the door for him.

Closing the door behind him, Skye walked to her bed and sat on it.

"How long has this been going on?" He asked her sternly.

Skye looked up at him, "not long," she answered. "And it doesn't matter, I'll be out of here soon, I always am."

"What does that mean?" He asked, taking a seat on her chair.

"It means that I'll be going back to the orphanage soon. I never stay with one family longer than a few weeks." The seven year-old explained.

"Why don't you tell anyone?" He asks her, "you could make it stop. All you have to do it tell your social worker."

"No one would believe me."

"I'm pretty sure those cuts on your lip would convince them," Grant said.

"I'll be fine." She said to him.

"And what about the lock on your door? I'm guessing that's not there for your safety."

"Frank likes to be in control. When things get out of his control he loses it and the locks help him control us."

"You're pretty smart for your age." He admitted.

"For my age?" Skye asked, cracking somewhat of a smile.

Frank's voice called from the bottom of the stairs. "Kid, come down here," Frank never bothered learning his name.

Skye smiled at him, "don't worry about me," she reassured him.

Grant got up and walked out her room. Standing at the railing, he looked down at Frank.

"Grab your stuff. Your uncle's on his way." He said, slowly walking up the stairs.

Grant walked, stoned-faced to David's room to gather his things. He walked in and shut the door behind him.

Taking his clothes off the counter, he slid them into a bag and zipped it shut.

Frank opened the door and took a step in, "you ready?" He asked.

David walked past the man at the door and slumped onto his bed. Pulling out the journal from under his bed, David began turning the pages and reading it content.

Grant looked away from the boy with the purple journal and back to adult at the door, "yeah, I'm all packed."

Grant didn't know why he was going to let it go. She was in trouble. The first person to be friendly to him since his older brother made him do terrible, inexplicable things to his brother, a young seven year-old girl who stood in the same position as he did.

But he was only a 14 year old boy. He couldn't help her any more than he could himself.

Maybe once he got to his uncle's he could talk him into adopting her and getting her out of the situation she was in.

Maybe.

At least that would be an option if it was his mothers brother who came to pick him up.

If his fathers twin was coming for him, he wouldn't be in any more of a better situation than she is.

"Good. Get downstairs."  
Grant got to his feet and started for the door. Staring coldly at the man as he passed, Grant walked out the door and down the stairs.

Frank walked over to the boy on his bed and pulled the journal out of his hands, "anything good this week?" He asked David.

"Nah, just some boring stuff about school and her computers class." David responded as the man handed him the journal back and made his way back down.

A knock at the front door caught Frank's attention and he answered it.

"Hey, I believe you have something of mine," the man on the other side of the door joked.

"You must be Garrett. Yes, he's all ready to go." Frank opened the door wider and the man stepped forward to place a hand on Grant's shoulder.

"Come on, son, let's go home." Garrett said, leading him out the door.

Once the front door was shut behind them, Garrett let him go.

Grant slowly walked to the car door, looking back at the house as Skye watched from her bedroom window.

Opening the car door, Garrett got into the driver's seat and started the car.

Grant shut the back door and looked back at the broken little girl in the window looking back at him as he left her.


	2. Learning the Ropes?

Grant sat in the backseat. His thighs, barely taking up the space given by his seat, seemed thinner than ever. The fourteen year old boy wanted desperately to be older. Bigger. Stronger.

"Uncle John," Grant said from the backseat, "I think I already know what the answer is going to be bu-"

"If you already know the answer, why are you still asking?" Garrett shrugged him off and turned the radio on.

"It's just that," The boy spoke over the radio jockey, "there was this girl at the home."

"Ohhh, so this is about a girl, huh? What's her name?" Garrett teased.

"It's not like that, she's seven."

"Woah, kid, seven? Don't you think that's a little too young for you?"

"She was nice to me and, I don't know, I want to help her. Do you think we can go back and see her tomorrow?" His pre-pubescent voice asked.

"Help her? Help yourself first, kid."

Garrett hadn't known it but he had just given the his nephew the most important lesson. One that would inevitably backfire on him.

"First lesson, don't put anyone else before yourself. Think about you and no one else. You and… family of course. It's not worth it." Turning the radio up, he took a left on Rouge street.

"Where are we going?" Grant asked.

"You'll see. Your dad and I used to come here a lot. This place made us strong."

Grant didn't like the sound of that but there was nothing he could do. Not from the backseat.

Lifting his leg over the middle compartment, the boy undid his seatbelt and hopped into the passenger's seat, "I can't see from back there," he justified.

"It's alright, we're getting out," Garret stepped on the breaks and put the car in park. Opening the door, he said, "did anyone ever tell you that your dad was an agent?"

Garrett walked around the car as Grant pushed his door open and stepped out onto the dry, dirt road.

"An agent, you're joking, right? No one in their right mind would have given that man responsibilities," the boy answered hastily.

"Watch it." The man warned, "Before he died, your father showed me the ropes. He toughened me up." Garrett looked coyly at the young boy.

"Don't agents have to be good people?" The boy asked, wind blowing in his dark hair.

"The thing about agencies like the one your dad was in, like the one I am in, in that, being good rarely gets the job done. Agencies like that need people like your father. That's why he was good at what he did. He was strong. Ruthless. Brutal."

"You don't need to tell me, I know."

"Sometimes, all it takes is for one person to give you a helping hand. You think that's gonna be some chick?"

"It's not like that."

John pulled out his belt and wrapped it around his fist, "no chick will make you strong. They only make you weak. And cause problems." He said as he struck him once.

The leather stung his cheek and Grant quickly rose his thin arms up in defense. A second whip broke the skin of his forearm and a thin red line began to appear.

"I can help you achieve greatness in it's true form. Power."

*  
The next morning, Grant snuck off and made his was back to the foster home.

Hopping on a few moving trucks was clearly no issue for him.

Lurking around, Grant watched David kicked toys around in the front yard as Lizzie ran to save her most precious ones.

Lizzie stood alone holding a selected few of her toys as a tear streamed down her cheek. It was the first time he'd seen that little girl cry.

The leather-branded marks on his skin stung with the realization of his misfortune.

The seven year old girl who had been Lizzie's protector was gone.

She was gone and Grant knew he would never see her again.

He had only been there for two days. He hadn't even caught her name.

"What, did you think I would know where you ran off to?" The man's deep voice called from behind him.

Grant spun quickly on his heels. Losing his balance, he fell backwards to the ground. Grant was terrified of his father, even more so of his uncle.

"Time to start with the real trainning." He said, looking down at the boy and pulling him to his feet.

Grant knew there was no escaping the life set out for him.

At least, not alone.


	3. The World Outside Doesn't Exist

Present Day.  
Skye knew what she was doing. By encrypting the hard drive so that only she knew where to go and how to open it, Skye had the upper hand. She knew he had no idea she was on to him. The ball was in her court.

"So, where are we going?" Ward asked from the pilot's seat.

Skye looked him in the eye, "L.A" she answered.

"L.A? Of all the places in the world to pick, why some random diner in L.A?"

"It was still set as default location on my encryption system, plus, what do you look for in a drop-site?"

"Lots of people, public place, multiple exists." He listed.

"Exactly," she answered.

He set the course and turned to look at her, "you should get some sleep, it's gonna be a long ride," he said as she yawned into the palm of her hand.

"No, I'm good," she answered. "I can't sleep anyway."

Skye saw something in his eye. She didn't know what it was but she saw it. He looked at her and smiled.

Turning on autopilot, Ward rose to his feet, "come on," he said, holding his hand out to her and she took it.

Once in L.A, the two of them sat in the diner as Skye bought time.

Grant glanced out the window every 2 minutes. "Skye we gotta go," he warned as a police car pulled up.

"No, I'm good right here." She replied without looking back at him.

"Skye, we've been made. Come on."

"No," She answered sternly, "I tipped them off."

Skye spun the laptop in its place to face him. "Hail Hydra," she whispered sarcastically as Grant looked at the screen, heartbroken.

"Freeze! Don't move, both of you." The officer called a few feet away from the booth.

The two agents stood up slowly. Skye put her hands above her head and warned, "just be careful. He's armed."

Ward slowly put his hands up in defeat, complying with the officers arresting him.

Ward was giving up? But he never gives up?

Skye watched him cautiously.  
The officer grabbed Skye's wrist, pulling her forward to bind her hands.

Ward launched forward and pulled the cop to him, setting Skye free.

Skye squeezed between the falling cop and the booth they were siting in on her way out the door.

*  
(Break)

Skye sat on the lawn chair as Coulson punched in the number of his choice.

The new specialist walked towards Jemma and Fitz by the pool.

They had taken days off to spend a night or two at hotels before, but never like this. Things were different and they all knew it.

No one had the strength to say it in such words.

Coulson split his chocolate bar in half and gave the bigger piece to the girl siting in front if him, "relax for the night. You deserve it." He walked to his room and shut the door behind him.

"I was hoping you'd come back." He said to the woman standing by the desk.

Skye bit the chocolate bar and watched the streetlight dim across the parking lot.

Jemma pulled the chair back and sat beside her friend, "you never told me you were a spy," she joked.

Skye smiled at the girl and looked down at her piece of chocolate.

"What happened?" Jemma asked. "Are you okay?" She said more genuinely.

Skye took a sip of her beer, "I don't know. I can't shake the feeling that there's more to the story. There has to be."

Jemma placed her hand on Skye's shoulder, "we all want to believe that Skye, but look at the facts. Look at what's going on, it all makes sense. Ward is evil."

Skye wiped the tear rolling down her cheekbone, "no, I know something else is going on. We just don't know it yet." Skye placed her bottle on the table, holding it between her fingers, "Garrett used Ward. He had Deathlok stop his heart to get me to open the hard drive." She looked the girl in the face, "You didn't see him, Jem, he was gonna let him die."

**  
(Break)

Skye had told the man at the counter that she'd been having problems with her door but he never sent anyone to fix it.

She pushed the door in with force, partially stumbling to the counter, Skye kicked the door closed with her heel. She slid out of her leather jacket and tossed it on the chair beside the window.

"Skye," the broken voice called from beside the curtains. The man stood hunched. His figure, displaying physical pain, slumped over as he held his left side.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Skye quickly turned to face him, taking two steps back.

He limbed out of the shadow, revealing himself to her. His left hand found the back of the couch and he held it to steady himself.

Skye looked from his bruised eye to the cut splitting his button lip into what looked like two separate sections.

His eye, darkened by the fist of a strong man, drooped down.

Skye walked to him, gently placing her palm on his cheek, "what happened?" She begged.

"I'm sorry." His legs gave out and Ward fell to his knees.

Holding his face in her hands, the pressure of his torso against hers pulled her to the floor with him and she sat there.

Ward sat on his heels, leaning his head on her chest as she held him upright.

"What happened to you?" Skye asked, holding his head against her chest.

"I couldn't do it," he answered weakly. His breathing slowed as he breathed in her scent and relaxed in her arms.

"You couldn't do what?" She replied, pulling away to analyze his purpling eye.

"Garrett wanted you dead. He ordered me to do it but.." Ward looked her in the eye, his body pleading for her embrace, "I couldn't."

She helped him to the couch and grabbed a bag of ice from the freezer. Skye sat beside him, "I want to trust you, Ward. I really do."

"I know I've lied. I know you should never trust me again but you have to believe me." He said, desperation taking over. Ward sighed, bringing his forehead to her shoulder and resting it there, "I have no one." He said. "I've never needed anyone in my life. But, you-" His breath caressed her neck as it trickled past. His wet hair, dripping down his neck and seeping into the material of his shirt, made his hair look darker than it was. "I can't lose you."

Skye brought her hand to the back of his head, grabbing a handful of hair. She held him close as he shook from the cold, "Hey, look at me," she said, turning his face to hers, "My God, what the hell did they do to you? You need to see a doctor." She breathed against his lips.

"No, you can't tell the others that I'm here." Ward grabbed her hand, "you can't."

"Why not?" she asked, suspiciously.

"I'm not staying. I can't." Ward cringed and gently placed his warm palm against his side.

"You just said you can't lose me, now you tell me you're not staying?"

"I can't stay, Skye." Ward brought his free hand to her cheek, gently touching his thumb to her lips. "Garrett won't let me go. He'll keep coming. This ends with me. I'll make sure of it."

Ward placed his hands beside him to push himself up.

"Wai- Hey, no," Skye gripped his bicep, holding him down, "I won't let you go."

"I just came to say goodbye." Ward kissed her lips, "I do care about you, Skye, just know that." His hand caressed her arm, sliding down to her fingers until he let her go.

"No," Skye got up and rushed to place herself between him and the door, "you don't have to do this." Pleading, Skye placed both her hands on his chest, pushing him back. "Just stay here. Stay with us." She rested her head on his chest, "we can take Garrett together, as a team."

"Skye-"

"No! You're not going to hand yourself over to him. I'm not gonna accept that so, just sit down." Skye ordered.

He obeyed her command. Slowly, they walked over to the bed and he sat in it.

"What we need," she began, "is to relax." Skye stood in front of him as he sat at the edge of the bed, "take off your shirt." She ordered.

Ward looked at her for a moment, confused, before he painfully peeled his wet shirt off.

Skye got down on her knees and placed her hand on his side, "you're a mess." She said softly.

"Thanks," he laughed, doubling over in pain.

"Don't move," she ordered, "I'll get some more ice."

Skye pushed herself up and made her way back to the freezer. Pulling out more ice, she closed the freezer as she grabbed a towel from the countertop

"Got anything to ease the pain?" He asked.

Skye stopped at the mini fridge and pulled out a bottle of alcohol and brought it to the nightstand beside him.

She threw the towel at him and pulled out a pack of cards.

"You suggest we play cards?" He teased, lightly laughing through the pain as he pulled the towel off his head.

"It's never a bad time to play cards."

Ward placed the towel beside him and looked at the brown haired girl sitting at the edge of the bed. Her features called to him. Delicate and safe. Being with her eased the pain of Garrett's heavy fists and he wished to stay in that moment forever.

None of this made sense. How could a trained specialist feel safe with a girl who barely had any training in her life.

Still, something about her felt right.

"Right, everyone likes a good magic trick." He said, smiling at her as he took the cards from her.

Skye's head tilted slightly as she creased her brows together, "what did you say?"

"Everyone… likes a good magic.. trick?" He repeated, unsure.

"Why does that sound so familiar?" She asked herself out loud.

It hit him slowly, the little girl standing in the doorway with her backpack, and then all at once, the broken girl who cried alone in her room while he sat outside her door, waiting until she fell asleep.

He saw the strong little girl who wore those cuts and bruises on her face siting at the edge of her purple bed. Just like that night.

"You-" Ward looked at her as if he had seen a ghost.

"Me?" She replied, confused.

"It was you?" He spoke in disbelief.

"Ward, what are you talking about?" Fear began to boil in her veins.

"Frank Kellerman." He said, watching her reaction. "You were the little girl at the foster home."

*  
The boy had stood there, at the foot of her bed, as she gestured to the small toy box beneath her nightstand. "Lizzie and I spend most of our time playing in here," the sound of her own voice echoed in her head. "It's nothing really, just a bunch of little toys we've gathered together." The little girl pulled the brown box out from its spot and placed it on her bed, "I have a pack of cards," she offered.

"Perfect," his smile widened as he watched her sifting through little objects, "everyone like a good magic trick," he said, as he sat at the edge of her bed.

*  
The only time Skye ever saw him like this was back at the Providence. They had finally gotten that drink and she was getting him to open up. Ward told her the truth about what his older brother had made him do. That was the only time Skye ever saw any real emotion from him and she knew it was real. But here they were again, his face, actually showing emotion, showed nothing but relief, and love and hope. A smile tugged at his lips and he placed his hand on her chin.

"I went back. The next day, I escaped my uncle and came back for you but you were already gone." His voice began to waver, "I felt like I had let you down. You needed help and I went away. I abandoned you."

Skye vaguely remembered the boy's face as he smiled, watching her pick a card from out of his hand. Amazing her with trick after trick, "Douglas?" Tears filled her eyes. "You were the boy who was removed from his home." Skye inched closer to him, closing the space between them, letting out a sigh as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She closed her eyes tightly and held him close.

"I thought I'd never see you again." He breathed in her hair as she buried her tear-streaked cheek into the crook of his neck.

They held each other in silence for a moment. Leaning her forehead against his, she whispered, "what happened to you?"

"My uncle." He answered. "He showed me who I am, and who I could become. He trained me to join SHIELD. I'm a bad person, Skye." When he looked down at his feet, Grant looked exactly like he did when he was 14.

"No you're not." Skye interrupted.

"I'm no good for you, I know that," he continued, lowering his head to hers, "It's not safe for you to be around me."

"Listen to me." She said firmly, "Maybe it's who you were after you left Frank's with your uncle but not before that, and not when you were with us." Skye shook her. "I don't know what your uncle did to you, but I know it's not who you are. I see you. I see you for who you really are and it's beautiful and strong and that's the Grant I want to be with. I wasn't lying to you," she said, caressing his cheek with her thumb, "I want this." Skye kissed him deeply and he flinched in pain. Slowly resting her head against his, she continued, "You're not this dark, evil image you've painted of yourself. You're not this…" Grabbing both sides of his face, Skye brought his forehead to her lips and gently kissed it. She ran her fingers through his wet hair and kissed his jaw.

Her warm lips soothed the storm building within him. When he was around her, he felt as if the weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Years of a burden hung over his shoulders, pulling him down with every order he followed. Every mission he completed. He never thought it would be possible to wipe a slate clean but being with her was the only thing that gave him a glimmer of hope. He knew where he wanted to be. Where he had to be.

She helped shine a light on the good in him when he needed it most.

No matter how small it seemed to him, she would never let go of the hope of saving him from himself.

"Let's get away from all of this. We can leave it all behind us. Get a fresh start." Skye felt the heat from under his touch.

He ran his palms down her forearms and held her hands in his.

"We do have the hard drive." She said, admittedly. "Hydra's been exposed and SHIELD has been fighting back. It looks like SHIELD is working on restoring the balance within their agency." She said to him.

"That way, neither SHIELD, nor Hydra, have access to the weapons from the bus and the drug that saved your life."

He kissed her lips softly. Pulling away, his lips trembled for a moment, "Are you really able to cut all ties to the team? Because if we do this, we have to stay off the grid. We wouldn't be able to contact them ever again."

"I have you, don't I?" Skye looked up at him and smiled. "What else do I need?"

"The world outside doesn't exist?" He asked.

"The world outside doesn't exist." She responded.

"I'm so sorry. What your brothers did to you, and Frank.." Ward broke eye contact. He was ashamed. "I wish I would have done something."

"There's nothing you could have done." She reassured.

After a moment of silence, Ward spoke. "Since we don't have anything to do, why don't we stop in Fiji for a night or two." He ran his thumb over her lips and then kissed them, "We could live on the move. Drive from country to country. Buy a boat and ride the coast, spending days on the beach." His brown eyes searched hers soulfully, "I have a few accounts around the world. We're financially set for the rest of our lives."

Skye gently leaned her body against him, tilting her head up to kiss him lips. She sank deep into him as his tongue dipped passed her lips. "That sounds like plan." She replied against his lips, "I've always wanted to stay near the beach for a while. Get a job working in a little shop in town and just live life as it comes."


End file.
